The Dragon's Wind
by ShippingGamer1605
Summary: Shiori, a wandering wizard with quite a few connections, travels to Magnolia to join Fairy Tail. I know it sounds cliche, but just read and see. Sorry to everyone who liked this story, but I'm placing this story on permanent hiatus until further notice.
1. Chapter 1

_The Dragon's Wind_

 _By: ShippingGamer1605_

 _*Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima and I only claim Shiori, my OC, as my own. Enjoy!*_

Introduction to Shiori

Hi! I'm Shiori, a wizard that can use windmorph magic. It's what I call it anyway; truth is, my magic is unique to me from what I know. When I use it, I can control the wind and certain parts of my body transform to improve my abilities. For example, if I need to get in the air, I can form wings on my backside and take to the skies. That's about the extent of it, from what I know, but all I can say is it's really cool!

Chapter 1: New Arrival

Right now, I'm on my way to the best guild in Fiore: Fairy Tail. It took a really bad fall in the ranks seven years ago, but it climbed back to the top after coming in first in the Grand Magic Games.

I made it to the guildhall and gasped, my eyes wide. It was huge! The doors groaned a bit as I opened them, revealing an all-out brawl between the guild members. There are beer mugs, people, and magic flying everywhere as I walk in. The excitement and intense beating of my heart never faltered as I made my way through the mages' "bar brawl."

From my right, I sensed something approaching with the intent to hurt. I snapped and the air in the room surrounded my fist. Whoever or whatever was approaching me didn't seem to notice as I grabbed them and threw them down on the floor, hard. I heard a groan of pain and looked at my feet. A guy with pink hair and a white scarf was laying on the ground, rubbing the back of his head in an attempt to comfort.

Everyone who had been brawling earlier became silent as they took in the sight.

My cheeks heated up as I immediately went to healing the man I had just slammed into the ground. "I-I'm really really sorry, sir! I just saw you coming at me and-" I was cut off when something touched my head. Looking up, I saw the guy I was healing ruffling my blonde and blue hair a bit, an innocent smile on his face. 'Huh?'

He relaxed his smile, his onyx eyes opening and taking in my appearance. "It's fine. I'm guessing you're new here?" I nodded, nervous. "Welcome to Fairy Tail, then!" The mages were now sitting in groups with one another, drinking booze like there's no tomorrow. The guy left me standing there to talk with the others. I was so lost and confused until I spotted a familiar head of pure blonde hair.

A mischievous smile came to my face as I snuck up on her, grabbing her shoulders and yelling, "Hey!"

She jumped about a hundred feet into the air, and her hair was standing on end.

"Who-" She didn't even finish what she was going to say as she embraced me tightly, "Shiori!"

Her eyes were filled with tears of joy. I hugged her back, rubbing my hand up and down her back to help her relax.

"I… I can't believe you're here! I thought I wouldn't see you again for a much longer time," she explained. I smiled, taking a seat at the bar next to her. A silver-haired woman came up to us and handed me a glass of tea.

She looked at me, curiosity in her eyes.

"Hello! I don't believe I've met you before. Are you new?" I nodded, recognizing her as Mirajane from Sorcerer Weekly.

"Well, I'm sure you know me, but I'll introduce myself anyway. I'm Mirajane, an S-Class wizard in Fairy Tail," she introduced. As I was just getting into a conversation with her, the guy from earlier came up to us, draping his arm over Lucy's shoulders.

"Yo, Lucy! I just found a job for us to take. You need the rent, no?" She nodded, turning to look at me. "Oh, you're that girl from a few minutes ago. I'm Natsu Dragneel, but some people call me Salamander." I shook his extended hand with vigor, excited to meet _the_ Salamander of Fairy Tail.

I could feel a very strong source of magic coming towards the guildhall. There wasn't a doubt in my mind on who it was. I pulled out a necklace and clipped it around my neck, opening the small locket-like space and placing my one earring inside.

One by one, the wizards of Fairy Tail fell to the ground, sleeping peacefully. I looked towards the front doors of the guild and saw him walk in.

Mystogan.

Looking back at the bar, I saw that an old man was sitting on the opposite end, a cane leaning on the inside of his left arm as he sat with his legs crossed on the bar counter. Mystogan looked over at him, nodding in greeting.

His eyes made their way to my figure and he froze, shocked that I was even here.

"Hey Mystogan… I made it to Fairy Tail, just like I promised…" I muttered, nervous to reveal much in front of the old man. He gave me a look before jumping off the bar counter and standing in front of me.

"Hello, young lady. I don't believe we've met before. Are you looking to join Fairy Tail?" For the third time today, I nodded. When I looked over to where Mystogan was standing before, I was shocked to see he wasn't there. A hand landed on my shoulder, causing me to let out a small 'eep' sound. I turned around to see that Mystogan had somehow snuck behind me while the old man was talking to me.

I turned around completely and our eyes met, my hand gingerly tracing his mask.

"I'm glad you kept your promise, Shiori. You'll be happier here. That's a promise," he muttered, his hand resting on the one I had on his masked face. A rough cough broke us out of our thoughts and made us look down at the old man, who was now standing on the bar counter. How did he move that fast?

"Well, since you're new, I'm Makarov, master of Fairy Tail. When Mystogan leaves, I'll get Mirajane to give you the Fairy Tail mark." I nodded, screaming like a fangirl on the inside, as he turned to look at Mystogan.

"Before you go again, why did you come back?" He was met with a slightly uneasy silence, the tension thick enough to be cut with a knife. He turned towards the set of stairs a few feet away.

As he walked away, I grabbed his wrist. His eyes turned to look into mine, our gazes sharp yet relaxed. "Why did you come back, Mystogan?" My voice almost echoed through the now dead silent guild hall.

"..." He pulled his hand away and walked up the stairs, most likely to get a job. It was as if he came and left without a word; With a job flier in hand, he walked out the door. Everyone started waking up, especially Natsu, who yawned loudly.

"Aaw… When I get my hands on that jerk, I'm gonna beat him to a pulp!" he yelled, flames flying out of his mouth in rage. Lucy rolled her eyes while a man in his underwear walked over to the hot-headed dragon slayer.

"Ya know, you wouldn't stand a chance against Mystogan, flame-for-brains," he said plainly. Natsu turned to him and they started arguing, throwing insults left and right at one another.

"Hey Luce?" I asked. She turned to look at me. "Who's the creep in only his underwear?"

She laughed a bit at my description of the guy who confronted Natsu. "That's Gray Fullbuster. He's an Ice Make wizard and self-proclaimed rival to Natsu, but they really do like each other despite their rivalry," she explained. I nodded, showing I understood.

I thought about intervening, but a scarlet-haired woman beat me to it, grabbing their heads and slamming them into each other. They fell to the ground and I had to cover my mouth to cover up my giggles.

"I apologize for their rude behavior. I'm Erza Scarlet, also known as Titania," she said. I introduced myself and we shook hands before she turned to face the two boys who were now knocked out cold. "You two should know better!" They were up on their feet in an instant, to my surprise, hugging each other by the shoulders. Natsu said "Aye", which made a laugh escape from my attempts to hold it back. However, my amusement faded as Natsu was in my face, eyes scanning over me as if judging if I was a worthy opponent or not.

When he was done, he grinned playfully. "Alright! It's settled! I want to fight you, Shiori!" My eyes went wide before Lucy walked over to him, pulling on his ear.

"You idiot! Don't challenge people to fight out of nowhere!" she scolded. He whined, saying that it would be really fun to see how strong I was.

Shaking my head, I pulled Lucy's hand away from Natsu's face. "It's fine, Luce. I can hold my own against Salamander," I declared, puffing my chest out in mock pride. She laughed, rolling her eyes, before walking towards the front doors of the guild. Erza and Gray followed her, smiles on their faces. I turned to look at Natsu, who was grinning like an idiot. _He must be excited to fight me… Then again, he did challenge Erza to a fight seven years ago after they defeated Eisenwald,_ I thought.

"Hey Natsu?" He turned to look at me. "Do you know any other dragons besides Igneel?" He looked up at the ceiling, hand on his chin in thought.

"I know about Gajeel's dragon, Metalicana, and Wendy's dragon, Grandine. Sting and Rogue have dragons, but I don't know their names," he explained.

I thanked him before slapping his shoulder playfully, running out the door as fast as I could. Behind me, I could hear him yelling. "Get back here, Shiori!" I laughed as he attempted to catch up with me. I didn't realize it but I had ran all the way to the back of the guild by the river, where Erza, Gray, and Lucy were sitting. The sun was beginning to set as I approached them, out of breath.

Lucy walked over to me, a smile gracing her face as she inspected my tired form. "I see you've had quite the run, no?" I nodded, still panting and trying to catch my breath. Behind me, I could hear Natsu yelling as he came closer and closer. Without thinking, I pushed Lucy out of the way as I felt Natsu's body collide with my own. A huge dust cloud surrounded us for a moment before the breeze blew it away, revealing me and Natsu in a heap on the ground.

"Natsu, are you okay?" I asked. He grunted as he stood back up, offering his hand to help me get up. I took it and he immediately stepped back a bit, taking up a fighting stance. _That answers that question,_ I thought as I mimicked his form. The intense silence was getting to me; Even though silence is a blessing around here, it can get pretty awkward without any noise.

Natsu gave me a childish smile as flames engulfed his fists. "No holding back, alright? I wanna see what you can do!" I could only nod before the small breeze became a full-on windstorm. Lucy only smiled as Erza and Gray stared at me, shocked at the amount of magic power I had. I turned around to look at Natsu, but his expression was unreadable.

A smug smirk formed on my lips. "You ready Natsu? I'm going all out!" I yelled before making the first move. In an instant, I was standing in front of him. He tried to throw a punch at me but I did a 180 turn and kicked him. He flew across the ground, his backside dragging along the dirt as it tried to slow itself down. He took a second to get up and I waited, the adrenaline flowing through my veins. He spat on the ground, wiping the corner of his mouth. There wasn't any blood, thank the Spirit King, but there was something off about how he was just standing there.

"I'm fired up now," His flames flared out before returning to a neutral state. He was immediately on his feet, fire covering both of his fists as he ran towards me. I couldn't react in time as his Fire Dragon Iron Fist made contact with my face. I was launched back quite a few feet, my body landing on the ground, hard.

My eyes didn't want to open, but I forced them to and saw Natsu staring at me, concern etched in his gaze. An almost silent chuckle escaped my bleeding lip. _He got me good, hitting my frail spot,_ I thought as I stood up unsteadily.

"Wind Drive…" I muttered, holding my arms out to my sides. The wind that was blowing around the area was now concentrated around my body, creating a sort of impenetrable magic armor. Natsu's eyes, along with Erza's, Gray's, and even Lucy's, were wide as they felt the shift in the wind currents. "You ready, Natsu?" I yelled over the wind that was howling in my ears. His eyes reverted back and a grin took place on his face as he charged forward at me, attempting to hit me with a Fire Dragon Iron Fist again. Smirking, I stood there, focusing the wind around me in the center of my palms.

The wind was speaking to me… I could feel him moving closer… His magic pulse, his emotions that drive him… the wind is telling me all of it… Shinonomi is telling me about him. As I felt him come into a three foot radius of me, I focused the wind around me into an orb of pressurized and fast-moving winds and shot it towards him, countering his attack. The wind dispersed his flame, but the power used in the attack was too powerful for me to counter and it pushed me back. There was another dust cloud that formed from the collision of powers. When it cleared, Natsu was panting, most likely from the force of the blow knocking the wind out of him. I was on my knees, panting slightly as tears ran down my face. I thought back to only a few moments ago…

 _My child, I knew you could do it. Just know that I will always believe in you and be there for you when you need me… The wind rises and falls, but never stops… Stay strong, my child…_

The tears streaming down my face were even more intense as I started bawling. I couldn't feel anything, but I could make out voices. I could hear Lucy call my name as I blacked out.

 _The forest was aglow with light from the noontime sun. As I walked through, I could feel a presence far greater than any known to man. The magic coming from the presence was dispersing and flowing through the wildlife as if it was the source of all this life. I walked into a clearing and gasped. Right in the middle sat a dragon. It was beautiful! Its green scales looked to be glowing, just like all of the plants in the area, and its piercing red eyes were staring at me as if judging whether or not I was worthy of its presence. My tiny three-year-old body ran up to the mythical beast and embraced its leg tightly, tears falling free._

 _The puff of warm air soothed my soul as the dragon nuzzled me gently. "Do not be afraid, small child. If you have come for a safe place from the outside world, you may stay here," it whispered. I could hear the motherly undertones in the dragon's voice as it looked at me sympathetically. The smile that graced my face that day was never seen again after she died, but I didn't know that at the time. I only wanted to have a family, a parent, that loved me…_

I woke up, blinking my eyes a few times to make sure I was awake. The room I was in had beige walls with white curtains, white beds, and white chairs. The bed was surprisingly soft for being so small, which I was very grateful for. As I tried to sit up, an intense pain shot through my limbs, leaving me motionless. I heard a knock on the door and saw Mirajane walk up towards me, a stamp in her hand.

"Oh! You're awake! I was just coming in to check on you," she explained. I flashed her a smile before wincing in pain. She walked over to my bedside, showing me the stamp. "Do you want your guild mark now or do you want to wait until you recover?"

My eyes went wide; They… wanted me in Fairy Tail? I had to mentally pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. "I'll get it now, if that's okay with you, Mirajane." She giggled.

"Just call me Mira, okay?" I nodded. "Now, where do you want your guild mark?" The room fell silent as I thought about a spot to put my guild mark. _My shoulder? No, my shoulder is almost always covered. Chest?_ A blush covered my cheeks as I thought about having my mark on my chest. _Definitely not! Um… Oh! I got it!_ I opened my eyes, having finished my thinking.

Since I couldn't move any part of my body without intense pain shooting through me, I decided to just tell her. "How about on my cheek? If you don't have a stamp small enough, then I'll take it on my shoulder," I said, answering her question. A smile crept onto her face as she walked out the room for some reason. When she came back, she had a smaller stamp in her right hand.

"Your right cheek?" she asked. I nodded and she moved the stamp closer to my face. "Hold still, okay? I want to get it just right." The stamp was a little cold as it touched my warm skin but the feeling disappeared as she removed the stamp. She handed me a hand mirror and I was amazed; it was light blue, like my highlights, and it was just the right size. Before I could even thank the woman, Lucy walked in the room, worry laced in her features. She saw my guild mark and her expression changed completely; she was now beaming as she wrapped me in a much-needed hug.

"I'm a member of Fairy Tail…" I muttered. Lucy gave me a confused look before ruffling my hair a bit. Tears of joy threatened to escape my eyes but I refused to let them. This was it; I was now a true member of Fairy Tail and I don't regret it at all.


	2. Chapter 2: Secrets of the Past

*I already did the disclaimer in Chapter 1 but I'll say it again; Fairy Tail doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Hiro Mashima, and I only claim Shiori as my own*

Chapter 2: Secrets of the Past

It took me a couple days to recover from the battle with Natsu, but those few days weren't that bad. Natsu came into the infirmary and was as playful as ever, while Erza and Gray just watched him, smiling and shaking their heads. The days felt like they flew by as I met most of the members of the guild.

With me joining the guild on day one, I was already going on jobs. Even though I proved to be on par with Natsu and even Erza, the S-Class floor is still restricted for now. I took the next best thing; going on jobs with the BEST team in Fairy Tail! Natsu found a job on the board that was worth a whopping 800,000 Jewel, and it was for beating up a group of rogue wizards. We showed it to Makarov, and he told us we could start tomorrow so he could contact the client for the job.

I was a giddy mess. Lucy had asked me before if I wanted to sleep over at her apartment and I agreed, so I was on my way there now. The building that stood in front of me was actually pretty small. Warm brown colored building with a brown-tiled roof. There was a small balcony for the second floor, but there were only six windows, so it was safe to assume that there weren't many people living here. As I walked up to the door, a hand landed on my shoulder, making me jump. I turned and saw a blue-haired girl standing next to me. She was a little shorter than me, about three inches shorter, and she was wearing a sleeveless orange dress with two separate sleeves tied to the middle of her upper arm. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Um, who are you?" I asked. She blinked before laughing. I didn't get what was so funny, so I kept our eye contact.

"I'm sorry! I'm Levy McGarden. You're the newest member of Fairy Tail, right?" I nodded. "It's nice to meet you in person!" She held her hand out and I shook it. With a sigh of relief, I opened the door for us and we made our way to Lucy's apartment. The door opened before I could even knock and Natsu came flying at me, colliding with me. I groaned in pain, trying to push the dragon slayer off of me.

I could hear Lucy apologize as she came over and helped me. "Sorry, Shiori! Natsu just barged into my home, so I kicked him out like usual. I didn't know you were gonna come over so early," she explained, pulling Natsu to his feet. Levy was laughing on the side, her hand covering her mouth to suppress her giggles.

Natsu and a flying blue cat ran out the front door of the apartment complex, yelling about Lucy being scary. A smile appeared on my face as Lucy opened the door for us to come inside. Her apartment wasn't bad at all, except for the fact that almost everything was pink. Not that there was anything wrong with pink; I just prefer light blue. Levy made herself comfortable on Lucy's bed, kicking her shoes off by the edge of it and laying down. I just followed what Levy did, sitting down in the orange plush chair. My body sank into the cushions and I gasped, not expecting that to happen.

Lucy walked out of her kitchen area with a tea tray in hand. "I'm so glad we could get together after so long!" she sighed. "It's also a good opportunity for you to get to know each other." I picked up one of the tea cups and a saucer, making sure I had a good grip on the tiny handle before placing it in my lap. Raising it to my lips, I took a sip and hummed in content; it was amazing! It tasted like regular chai tea, only it had a hint of honey and cinnamon.

"So, what did you plan for tonight, Lu?" Levy asked. She was now laying on her front side, hands cradling her chin as she kicked her legs back and forth in the air.

Lucy placed a hand to her chin in thought. "Well, I thought that because you and Shiori don't really know much about each other, you could open up about your pasts a bit. If that's okay with you, Shiori," she said, turning to look at me. It took me a second to realize that they were waiting for me to answer, which made me feel pretty awkward.

"T-That's fine," I stuttered. Lucy laughed a bit before grabbing a cup of tea and drinking some herself. "I think Levy should go first, though," I added. She nodded and took a breath, and I could see her eyes reflecting a feeling of nostalgia.

Her eyes closed, a frown taking the place of her smile from earlier. "The truth is, I don't remember anything from before I joined the guild," she began. "The last thing I remember was that I woke up in Magnolia's wizard hospital, a cast around my right leg. When I asked the nurse what had happened to me, she only told me that I was an only survivor on an attack on Crocus. For some reason, I had a sort of amnesia; I could only remember my personal information, like my age and name, but I couldn't remember anything about my family." My eyes were wide and Lucy looked like she was about to cry. "The good thing about not remembering your past is that you have the ability to live on without any burden from before weighing you down," she added softly. Her brown eyes were blank, not reflecting any emotion as I continued to stare at her in shock.

 _That's just like… No, I can't start trying to dig up the past,_ I thought to myself. I coughed to try and get their attention.

"Levy, Lucy… I know that was a sad story, but Levy's right. The past may be something people like to reflect on, but some memories may be better off forgotten. Who knows? Maybe she was caught in a "pants down" moment and everyone would tease her about it," I explained, trying to lighten the mood. Levy laughed, tears poking out from the corners of her eyes, and Lucy cracked a smile, joining in Levy's laughter.

Their laughter died down and Lucy turned to me. "So, are you gonna share, Shiori? You don't have to if-" I cut her off by shaking my head.

"I don't mind sharing some of my past, but you have to promise to keep this between the three of us for the time being. Got it?" They saw the serious look on my face and nodded, sitting next to each other on Lucy's bed.

A sigh escaped my lips as I began to recall my past in my mind.

 _~~Fifteen Years Ago~~_

 _It was the year X776, the year of my third birthday. My parents were never around, so I was sent to the Heartfilia household to learn the ways of a noblewoman, much like Lucy did when she was young. In fact, over the few months I was there with her, we grew to be the best of friends. On November 7, X776, my parents were supposed to come home. I was excited to see them, but I had told Lucy that I would try my best to come to visit when I could._

 _That was the day… my world was turned upside down. My parents did come home that night, but I was asleep at the time so I didn't know they had come home. My dreams were interrupted when I heard a scream. I almost screamed in response but quickly covered my mouth. At the time, I wasn't in control of my magic, so I would "blow up" a bit when I was feeling intense emotions. I grabbed the small wand my parents had bought me before I was even born and walked out into the hall. There was another scream and I pressed myself to the wall, praying that nobody that was there could see me. There was a muffled voice coming from their room and I crept closer, trying my best to listen. I could hear the window opening and, when I couldn't hear anything else, I slowly opened the door._

 _The sight before me was absolutely horrifying: my parents were lying on the ground, both cut on their midsections and backsides and bleeding profusely. I stepped closer, the thoughts of being alone flooding and taking over my mind. Without a second thought, my magic burst out around me, messing up the furniture and items in the room, and raced out the window. The forest that was miles away from our house was now in front of me, the moonlight illuminating each green leaf that was connected to a branch. Before long, I fell to my knees, bawling on the spot. I didn't know how much time had past; I didn't have it in me to care. My parents had been murdered and I was now alone._

 _As I cried my eyes and heart out, a calm, soothing voice called out to me. "My child… Why do you cry so?" I looked up slowly, trying to find the source of the mysterious voice, but nobody was there. The voice called out again, beckoning me into the forest. Shaking, I stood up and started walking towards the forest. Daylight had made its way into view while I was crying, lighting the way for me so I didn't trip and fall. I took me a few hours to find the source of the voice, but I found it._

 _The forest was aglow with light from the noontime sun. As I walked through, I could feel a presence far greater than any known to man. The magic coming from the presence was dispersing and flowing through the wildlife as if it was the source of all this life. I walked into a clearing and gasped. Right in the middle sat a dragon. It was beautiful! Its green scales looked to be glowing, just like all of the plants in the area, and its piercing red eyes were staring at me as if judging whether or not I was worthy of its presence. My tiny three-year-old body ran up to the mythical beast and embraced its leg tightly, tears falling free._

 _The puff of warm air soothed my soul as the dragon nuzzled me gently. "Do not be afraid, small child. If you have come for a safe place from the outside world, you may stay here," it whispered. I could hear the motherly undertones in the dragon's voice as it looked at me sympathetically. The smile that graced my face that day was never seen again after she died, but I didn't know that at the time. I only wanted to have a family, a parent, that loved me…_

As I finished the story, I saw that Lucy was crying while Levy had the same reaction that I had to her backstory. I looked out at the window by Lucy's bed, sighing as I felt tears try to escape my eyes. Before they could fall, I wiped my eyes, covering my face with my hands.

I could hear Lucy walking over to me and she wrapped me in a warm hug. "I didn't know… that was why…" She was having trouble piecing together full sentences, so I just shook my head, resting it in the crook of her neck and returning the hug. Another pair of arms wrapped around us and I could feel the warmth I thought I lost when Shinonomi died. The tears that I tried to hold back were now flowing freely down my face as the emotional damage of the events snapped me.

We stayed like that for a few more minutes before Lucy and Levy stepped back, stretching a bit and wiping their eyes. "Let's get some sleep. I'm worn out from crying so much," I suggested. They agreed and I set up my makeshift bed on the floor. Levy was sleeping on the floor as well, only her "bed" was closer to the kitchen. With one last sigh, I closed my eyes, the better memories of my "mother" swirling around in my dreams.

~~The Next Morning~~

I woke up to the smell of eggs and bacon. A grumble made itself heard from my stomach and I sat up. After stretching my arms, I stood up and walked over to the kitchen area. Lucy was cooking breakfast and Levy was reading an old-looking book with her wind-reader glasses. I walked over to her and sat down, looking over her shoulder to see what she was reading.

She looked at me from the corner of her eye and smiled. "Good morning Shiori. Did you sleep well?" I nodded and she went back to reading.

 _Well, that was brief,_ I thought. Before I could spark up some sort of conversation, Lucy told us that breakfast was done. She had set out three plates, one for each of us, but she also made another plate.

"Hey, Lucy?" She poked her head up and looked at me. "Who's the fourth plate for?" I took a bite of the eggs and melted in my chair for a second before coming back to reality from my "food heaven."

A smile graced her face as she looked towards her apartment window. "Any minute now…" she muttered. As if on cue, Natsu and that blue cat from yesterday barged into her apartment through the window. Levy and I screamed before shutting up and seeing that it was just them.

My eyes narrowed at the two. "You bust into Lucy's apartment at random? That's just rude, you two," I chided. They looked over at me and Natsu hid behind Lucy, the blue cat following him. Levy only giggled before finishing her breakfast and standing up to bring her plate to the sink.

"She's right, Natsu," Levy said. "Just because you're Lucy's friend doesn't mean you can just break in whenever you want to. Right, Lucy?" I looked over at my best friend and she nodded, standing to follow Levy into the kitchen.

Natsu and the cat looked at each other before looking at me. "By the way, Natsu? Who's the cat that's with you?" I guess Natsu's friend took offense to that because he flew over to me, standing on top of my head.

"How can you not know who I am? I am happy, the strongest wizard in Fairy Tail!" His narcissism was so cute! I laughed, picking him up off my head and hugging him.

Despite his protests, I continued to hug him. "You're too cute!" After a minute, I let him go and he immediately flew over to Lucy for what he claimed was "protection from me."

"Just wait, you won't think he's cute after you get to know him. Trust me, I thought the same thing at first," Lucy warned me. As we were talking, I saw Levy walking towards me.

She gave me a small hug. "I'm gonna go now. It was really nice to meet you, Shiori. I promise to keep your story a secret," she whispered the last part in my ear so Natsu wouldn't hear. Lucy waved to her and she was gone. Natsu was scarfing down the plate Lucy had fixed for him while I was cleaning my own plate.

 _Maybe Natsu knows anything about Shinonomi… Probably not,_ I thought. In the end, I decided to not ask him anything about the dragons in general.

The day went by fast up until we were all at the guildhall, ready to leave for the job. Erza brought WAY too much luggage, Gray was half-naked, and Lucy and Wendy were just laughing at Natsu and Gray's childish fighting. Wendy and Carla, the youngest guild members, were introduced to me only a few hours ago but I could feel a strong connection to them as soon as I saw them. We were making our way to the station when I felt a tug on my pants leg. Looking down, I saw that Carla was trying to get my attention.

I turned to pick her up, but she shook her head and flew up to be at face level with me. "Shiori, right?" she asked. I nodded and she took a deep breath, placing her paw on my cheek that had my guild mark. "I can't tell you much, but… just don't let your emotions take over your sense of reason when we get there. Alright?" I nodded again, slower than before, as confusion was clearly written on my face.

Erza paid for our tickets and we boarded the train. I was sitting with Wendy and Carla, while Lucy rode with Natsu and Erza rode with Gray. When I looked over at Lucy, I had to cough a bit to suppress my laugh. Natsu had his head resting in Lucy's lap, his suffering all too apparent to the rest of us.

"Does Natsu have motion sickness?" I asked. Erza explained to me that all dragon slayers, at least the first and third generations, had motion sickness. "I see. Lucy, switch seats with me." She raised an eyebrow at me before getting up and taking my seat. I rested Natsu's head on my lap, the same way Lucy had only seconds before and started combing his spiky pink hair slowly. Everyone, even a few of the passengers, was staring at us as I tried to soothe Natsu's illness.

I started to sing softly, my voice being carried through the train on a soft breeze.

 _A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain_

 _Softly blows over Lullaby Bay,_

 _It fills the sails of boats that are waiting,_

 _Waiting to sail your worries away._

I could hear soft snoring and, looking down at my lap, I saw that Natsu was fast asleep, his face no longer showing any sort of sickness he was feeling before. Carla was staring at me as if trying to find out if I was hiding a secret about my power, but I ignored the looks everyone gave me and stared out the window, watching as the scenery flew by. My mind wandered as I fell into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3: The First Big Job

Chapter 3: The First Big Job

The train ride only lasted a few hours, but when we got to the city, we were glad to be able to stretch our arms and legs. Natsu was running around, yelling something about "freedom" and "I'm never gonna ride a train again!" I laughed, his childish behavior just as amusing as always.

 _This guy is just too much,_ I thought, facepalming with my right hand. Wendy was looking at me curiously.

"Are you okay, Shiori?" she asked. I nodded and we went back with the others. Carla was staring at me with a look that said "you're an enigma to us all" while Lucy and I made idle conversation.

The house that belonged to our client was HUGE! Great iron gates blocked the front garden and a brick wall surrounded the building. From what we could see, the house was a grand mansion, its outer walls a pearly white as they were decorated with green ivory vines. The windows that showed us what the inside looked like were bordered with what looked to be rose gold.

Lucy, Wendy, and I were in awe of the sheer beauty of the structure, while Erza, Gray, Natsu, Happy, and Carla walked up to the two guards that guarded the gate. They stood up straight, their stance unwavering as we approached.

"Hold it!" one of the guards said. We stopped in front of them and stayed quiet for a moment to make sure we didn't set off any red flags in their mind. "Who are you and what is your business here?" We looked at each other until I walked up to the guards, my guild mark shining on my face.

"We're the wizards from Fairy Tail who accepted the job. May we enter?" I explained, trying my best to be polite. The guards looked at each of us as we exposed our guild marks before letting us in.

The manor's front doors were at least a foot taller than Natsu and, as Erza knocked, the doors opened almost silently. An older man, who I guess is the butler, gestured for us to come in. We walked in, admiring the beautiful blend of style and color. The house was mainly black and white, like chess. The tiles were arranged in a neat pattern of black and white and the walls were all white but bordered with black. I sat down on the sitting room couch and grabbed a cup of tea that had been set out. Lucy and Erza did the same while Natsu and Gray argued quietly. _At least they have some kind of manners,_ I thought, taking a sip of the tea. The butler told us to wait in here, so that's what we did. To my surprise, I couldn't find Carla anywhere. _She must've wandered off. Oh well. She'll be back in time to meet the client._ As soon as I finished that thought, a woman who looked to be about Erza's age walked in, her face with little to no makeup. My blue eyes met her green eyes in a silent staring contest, the others oblivious to us.

She sat in the large, plush black chair and the butler handed her a teacup and saucer. She took a sip, exhaling softly, before speaking. "I hear you're the wizards from Fairy Tail who accepted the job, yes?" she asked.

Erza took up the front and spoke for us. "Indeed. Can you tell us any details on this group we're supposed to catch?" The lady only nodded as she stood to walk over to the grand window looking out over the front garden.

"These foul men are notorious for killing off at least thirty noble families. They stopped after killing off the Celeste family back in X776," she explained. My hands clenched into fists at the mention of the name "Celeste." "For some reason, they went into hiding, but now they're back," she continued. "Now that they're back, I've been told that I'm a target. As a noble, I am in the runnings for inheriting my parents' legacy alongside my half-brother. They're on death's doorstep, so if I die, my brother won't be able to take over because he travels rather than working at home. Do you follow so far?" Natsu, Gray, and Happy just continued looking at her as Lucy, Wendy, Erza, and Carla nodded. I, on the other hand, was screwed up in the brain a bit. My parents' murderers were so close, I could just feel the anger and pain from fifteen years ago building up in the pit of my stomach at the thought of getting revenge. The others must've noticed my change in mood as well because the breeze from the cracked-open window was now the steady speed of normal wind. The lady's dress was blowing gently as the wind settled a little.

I could feel Lucy's hand on my shoulder in an attempt to calm me down. "May we be excused for a moment?" she asked. I guess the lady nodded because Lucy grabbed my hand gingerly, pulling me outside the manor. When we were out in the open garden, I could feel myself calming down.

"What's wrong?" Her voice was laced with concern. I couldn't look her in the eye. If I did, I would hear her voice from before and the promise that I broke to her would break my spirit.

"The guys who killed my parents… Revenge is so close…" I muttered. She gasped, taking me right into her arms. A choked sob broke through me as I held onto Lucy for dear life. We stayed out in the garden, with me crying into her shoulder until I heard Wendy and Natsu talking. Lifting my tear-stained face from Lucy's shoulder, I glared at the eavesdroppers, a threat making its way to them. Wendy cowered behind Natsu, who hid behind Erza as they understood the message I was sending them.

Lucy and I walked back into the manor after I was sure I was calm. The lady gave me a look of concern mixed with curiosity, but I ignored it as I sat down next to Lucy.

I bowed my head to the lady. "I apologize for my emotional outburst. I promise it won't happen again," I apologized. When I looked up, I could see her shake her head, saying that she didn't need an apology.

Before I could say anything else, Lucy stood up. "I don't know if Shiori is okay with telling everyone about this herself, so I'll tell you myself." She leaned down, her face close to mine. "Is that okay with you?" I nodded and she stood back up, her expression neutral.

"Shiori is the daughter of the Celeste noble family," she said, a little plainer than I expected her to say it. Everyone had wide eyes, save for Erza and the lady of the manor. "Shiori's full name is Shiori Laphicet Celeste."

I looked up completely, taking in everyone's reaction to Lucy's words. They were the reactions I expected; everyone is _so_ shocked when they find out that I was the daughter of a noble family and some have even tried to hit on me to get my so-called "inheritance." However, I didn't expect a hug from the lady of the manor.

She let go of me, her hands still holding my shoulders. "That's why I recognized you! You're the spitting image of your father, Shiori!" I raised an eyebrow at her, questioning myself on how this woman knew me. She's at least seven years older than me!

"Oh, you're probably wondering how I know you and your parents."

 _It's like she can read my mind,_ I joked, mentally laughing.

"I was there when you were born. Granted, I was only five years old, but I still adored your sweet smile that graced your face every time I had to babysit you. Even though I hated to say goodbye, my parents moved upstate and set up their permanent business there, so I wasn't able to visit for a long time," she explained, tears peeking through the corners of her eyes. My eyes widened as my mind tried to remember. The games, the naps, all of the fun we had… I couldn't remember a thing.

 _It hurts… Why can't I remember anything? The earliest memory of my childhood was when my parents were murdered and I met Shinonomi,_ I thought. My arms were immediately wrapped around the lady, who _still_ hasn't introduced herself by name yet, as she cried silently.

"I'm sorry, but I can't remember anything past my parents' murder," I muttered, guilt building up and settling in my abdomen. The others were just watching, but Carla still wasn't back. _I wonder if…_ My thoughts were interrupted when Happy and Carla burst into the room, Happy flying right into my chest while Carla landed gracefully on one of the fancy sofas.

Wendy looked over at Carla with concern. "What's the matter, Carla? Why did you and Happy fly in like that?" Carla looked towards the door before flying over to it, closing the large doors.

"They're here." That's all we needed to hear because Lucy was already grabbing her keys and Erza had a sword in hand. The windows burst into multiple tiny shards of glass and three guys jumped through the entrances, daggers brandished and ready to go.

If they want a fight, they're gonna get it! I drew in the wind and pushed the men back outside. "Wendy! Carla! Keep the lady of the manor safe!" I shouted. They nodded and brought her to the back of the manor. Natsu and Gray were already out the door and Erza followed soon after. I was about to run out after them, but Lucy pulled me back. She had summoned Taurus, who was eyeing both of our bodies like a pervert. Without hesitation, Lucy sent him out to go with the others. I looked at her, curious as to why she wanted to talk with me.

She sighed, placing her hand on my shoulder. I rested my hand on top of hers. "Shiori… don't do anything reckless, alright? One Natsu is enough," she laughed. I laughed a bit before nodding, meaning "alright."

When we finally got out there, there were three fights going on. Erza was fighting with who I assumed was the leader, Natsu and Gray were fighting the two other guys. Taurus was fighting a woman who looked to be a healer of sorts, but there were two who were running towards us. Lucy took out her Fleuve d'etoiles and whipped them back. I briefly thanked her before focusing.

"Wind drive… dragon!" My arms changed into dragon's claws as I charged forward, pinning one of the guys to the ground. He yelped out in pain as my claw pressed against his chest.

He struggled and squirmed but soon fell unconscious. I checked him for a pulse, which he, thankfully, still had. Lucy was looking over at me and I gave her a thumbs-up before going to fight the girl Taurus had left unfinished.

She was trying to sneak behind the fighting to get to Wendy, Carla, and the lady, but I stopped her. My claw was positioned right in front of her face, the green light from my magic reflecting off of her face.

"P-please…" she stuttered. "H-h-have m-mercy!" I laughed to myself and grabbed her arms, draining her magic energy with the side ability my claws grant me: Magic Replenisher. The girl fell to the ground, her eyes closed and her expression giving her the appearance that she was sleeping. Again, I checked for a pulse. She was alive, but her magic energy was really low and her breathing was slightly ragged. I let out a sigh and walked over to the others, my magic fading and my arms returning to how they normally are. The group of mercenaries was out cold, for the most part, but the leader got away, at least that's what Erza told us.

"Lucy, I want you to go check on Wendy and the client," she ordered. Without hesitation, she ran back into the manor. Natsu and Gray were fighting off to the side, much to Erza's chagrin and my amusement. The fight raged on behind us as Erza knelt in front of me.

I could tell she was troubled by something as she looked me in the eyes. "The leader took a side path through the nearby forest to get away from the fight. I wanted to tell you earlier, but I was distracted. My sincerest apologies," she explained. I could feel my blood rushing through my veins at the information.

 _He's still out there,_ I thought, _out there, waiting for the kill._ With a nod, I motioned for Erza to rise. She stood back up and I placed my hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. It's better that you tell me now than never," I said. With a huff, I pulled out my dagger and ran in the direction of the leader of the group. He was most likely about a mile away unless he got in a magic energy powered cab. I stopped, looked around to make sure I was alone and pulled out a small pouch. It was about the size of my palm and filled with tracking dust. I took in a breath and, muttering "trace the leader", I exhaled, letting the dust scatter in front of me. There was a light yellow glow before footprints lined with yellow sparkles appeared in front of me. They were lighting up, one by one, and an evil grin rose to my face.

 _Gotcha,_ I thought. I started running again, following the path of yellow footprints towards my target.


	4. Chapter 4: Coincidental Meeting?

Chapter 4: Coincidental Meetings?

It was almost sunset, but the trail was still aglow as I followed it. The footsteps led to a dark alley in the central plaza of Crocus, the city where the manor was. The central plaza of the city was almost empty, meaning that there wouldn't be many people who saw him run through. As the trail ended, I saw that I was in a dark alley, where most sensible people would never go.

I heard footsteps and turned around, my senses heightened. The guy jumped down from a building, a knife in his hand. My magic flared, blowing him down to the ground. The wind was blowing slowly as we stared each other down, my dragon soul pulsing with adrenaline.

He made the first move, charging straight for the kill. I easily sidestepped his attack, my dragon claw forming on my arm and pinning him on the ground. My claw was holding his whole backside as I kneeled, my face close to his.

"You arranged the murder of the Celeste family, aren't you?" I asked, my voice expressing my anger. The man could only nod as my grip on his midsection tightened.

I could feel him trembling in my grip. "I-I-I d-did arrange t-that, but I-I-I was f-forced to d-do it! I never w-wanted to kill a-anyone, I s-swear!" he explained, fearing for his life. I could only glare at him before I felt another presence behind me. With a defeated sigh, I let my dragon claw disappear as I turned to face whoever was behind me.

It was Mystogan! _How in the…_ My train of thought was cut short when he grabbed my hand, pressing me against the wall.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. I could feel my heart pounding as his masked face moved closer to mine. If he was trying to intimidate me, it was surely working!

I took a shaky breath in an attempt to calm my heart down. "That man was the leader of the group that was killing off rich families. He murdered my parents and tried to murder my old childhood friend a few hours ago," I explained. He nodded, removing his hands from my wrists and walking out of the alley.

 _I can't let him get away! Not this time!_ Before he could leave, I grabbed his wrist, pulling him back into the darkness of the back alley.

"Wait!" I called. He turned to face me, eyes not even reflecting shock.

"Why do you keep on leaving?" I asked. My stomach was in knots and my heart was beating a mile a minute as we kept eye contact. He only sighed, releasing his hand from my grip and resting it on my shoulder.

I could see his brown eyes close as he shook his head. "It would take a long time to explain, and this is not the time for that explanation," he explained vaguely. My curiosity was nowhere near satisfied, but I was willing to wait for the time when he would tell me everything.

"Farewell, Shiori. Until we meet again," he said, pressing the lower half of his masked face to my head. A fiery blush rose to my cheeks as he turned to leave.

 _Does he… like me?_ I thought. Okay, so here's where things get a little awkward…

I looked around, making sure that the guy from earlier wasn't around, and walked out of the alley. The city was now covered in darkness, the only source of natural light being the light of the full moon.

Behind me, I heard the shuffling of feet, so I turned to look. There wasn't anyone there! I raised an eyebrow before shrugging it off and walking back to the mansion of the client. Again, I heard someone walking behind me.

I turned around again, my magic ready to be used at any time. "Who's there?" I called out, trying to draw the attention of my "follower." I could hear someone sigh and a figure walked out from behind a lamppost.

Lo and behold, it's Mystogan! Again… Sighing in frustration, I stomped over to him and, grabbing his sleeve, dragged him with me. Despite his protests, I held on, slightly enjoying having power over where my crush goes.

 _Wait a minute… Crush?!_ I stopped dead in my tracks as the word processed in my mind. With a gasp, I grabbed Mystogan's sleeve with my other hand and threw him down to the ground, letting go before he hit the ground so I could cover my growing blush.

"What was that for?" he asked, frustrated. I responded with a groan of embarrassment. He huffed and stood back on his feet, walking over to my flustered and flushed form. I could feel his hand on my shoulder, the warmth of his hand breaking through the chill of the night air.

I could feel the tips of my ears burning now. "What are you doing to me, Mystogan?" I muttered. His grip tightened a bit, meaning he heard me.

 _Sh- I mean crap!_ I thought. I tried to move away from him but he pulled me into his embrace. Okay, this is new… I'll take it!

My heart steadily sped up its beats as I tentatively returned the gesture. "I could ask you the same thing," he whispered in my ear. His hands slid down to my lower back as I raised one of my own to caress his masked face.

"Can we go somewhere else? I want you to explain what I asked you about earlier," I requested. His sigh of what I think was discontent told me that I may have ruined the moment, but I didn't care.

He grabbed my hand and led me to the inn above *Bar Sun. When we got to the room, he closed the door and gestured for me to take a seat. I did and he sat in the chair across from me. The moonlight lit up the room, along with the light of the one present lamp. I could feel a breeze fly through as we sat there, staring at one another and waiting for the silence to be broken.

Mystogan sat there, messing with his mask until he pulled it off. "Mystogan…" I whispered, eyes wide as I took in his real face. He was identical to Jellal, the one who brought back the Tower of Heaven seven years ago! Even the red mark on his right eye was the same!

"You probably think lowly of me now that you know what, or rather who, I look like." I shook my head vigorously, taking his mask out of his hand and throwing it to the side.

"Mystogan, no matter who you look like, what you did for me proves that you aren't like Jellal! Sure, Erza may have thought you were like Jellal after she saw your face, but I won't judge you like that. You are who you are, and you're the man I met when I was wandering on my own, only five years old, and brought me along with you instead of leaving me to fend for myself. I got to meet Wendy when traveling with you and I wouldn't want to change my past for anything." There was a tense silence following my "speech", my eyes staring right into his.

He let out a sigh, placing his hands on my shoulders and pulling me onto his lap. I could feel a small tinge of blush rise to my cheeks as he wrapped his arms around my waist, planting a small kiss to my forehead. My blush only increased as I felt his arms wrap around me in a warm hug.

"Thank you Shiori…" he muttered next to my ear. I let out a sigh, shaking my head as I hugged him back. _He needs to not compare himself,_ I thought. _I just want him to know that he is himself, no matter who he looks like._ We stayed in the chair for a little longer before I hopped off his lap, making my way over to the single bed in the room. I flopped face-first into the pillow and let out an exaggerated sigh through the pillowcase. I could hear him chuckle before a depression made the bed uneven. He laid back, my body turning to face his.

"Mystogan?" I began. "Are you going to have to leave soon?" I could see him turn his gaze over, looking out the window and observing the lack of activity in the moonlit streets of Crocus.

He nodded. "I have to leave by noon tomorrow to get back to Porlyusica." I looked out the window at the stars, wishing up to them that Mystogan might stay for good sometime. "As long as you don't sleep in until late afternoon like you used to, you'll be able to travel out with me in the morning." My eyes darted back at him, his body turned and his eyes focused on me as I glared at him.

 _Jerk! Calling me out on my sleeping habits._ I stuck my tongue out at him and he chuckled, crawling off the bed and dragging his hand up my arm. I felt a tingling sensation ran up and down my spine as his hand rested on my cheek. My eyelids drooped slightly before completely closing over my eyes, blocking me from seeing what was going on. The last thing I felt before I fell from consciousness was a soft warmth on my lips. Maybe I'll find out what it was sometime in the future…

The next morning, I awoke to the sun blinding me. I grunted in discomfort, turning away from the window, my eyes staring right at a pair of closed eyelids. It took me a minute to realize that it was Mystogan's eyes that were closed. Wait, if he's right here with his eyes closed, then that means… I jumped up and crawled off the bed, creating a small ball of wind and throwing it at him. He didn't stir when it made contact. _Dammit,_ I thought. Then a lightbulb went off in my head. _That's it!_ Slowly, I crept up close to his ear, my mouth only an inch away from it. I blew out a small breath of air and he jolted awake, knocking his head into my own. He was looking around, holding his ear like it was in pain before he saw me on the ground.

I could see him smirk a bit before he covered his mouth, muffling his laughter. "Exceeds above, Shiori…" he muttered through his chuckles as he helped me off the ground.

There was a split second where I could feel an immense wave of magic that I could tell rivaled Mystogan's and my powers combined. My breathing became erratic as my heart tried to calm itself down.

"Are you alright?" he asked. I steadied my breathing, my body still quivering, and nodded. He let out a sigh of relief as I stood. "What happened?" I tried to remember what happened, but the magic I had felt before was gone, far away from the city.

I shook my head. "It's nothing. I just felt an immense magic power in the city. It was strong, too strong to realistically be a normal mage," I explained. He turned to look out the window, his brown eyes gazing sharply in the direction of the central plaza of Crocus.

"Well, I better start traveling back to Fairy Tail. I did run all the way here to catch that guy, after all. The others must be worried sick, especially Lucy." I turned and walked towards the door. However, he grabbed my wrist, keeping me from leaving the room. "Mystogan?" I could hear him breathe out slowly as I turned my head, his brown eyes gazing softly into my blue irises.

The room was filled with a short silence. "There's… something I need to do with you before you go. I still have unfinished business before I leave for Porlyusica's," he muttered shyly. I turned around fully to face him, my hand turning in his grip to intertwine our fingers together. His other hand moved to caress my cheek, the one with my guild mark on it. I leaned into his touch, my heart racing as his palm warmed my face.

"I have a question," I said, catching him off guard. "What was that warmth I felt on my lips before I fell asleep last night?" He half-smiled, a bit of a fire in his eyes.

"It was this." With that, he pressed his lips to mine, his hand that was once holding mine now wrapped fully around my waist. My mind couldn't comprehend was going on; it was on the fritz. After a few seconds, he pulled back, blushing as he turned to look away from me.

I heard him sigh through his nose. "S-Sorry Shiori. I didn't mean to- mmph" I pulled him into another kiss, this one more passionate than the other. I was able to respond to his movements, each one leaving a tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach. He bit my bottom lip tenderly and the kiss deepened, allowing us to share the love we felt for one another after having to hide it for so long. Reluctantly, we parted, both panting slightly. I flashed him a smirk before backing an inch away from him.

"That was better than the last one," I muttered. He smiled at me for a brief moment before the magic power from earlier came back. I had to get on my knees to try and lighten the pressure before it disappeared again, leaving us in a tense silence. Shakily, I stood back up and, with one last kiss on Mystogan's forehead, I walked out the door.

The trip took a while, about a week and a half, but I made it back to Fairy Tail with no problem. Now to be like Natsu… _One, two… three!_

"I'm back!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. Even though I've only been a member of Fairy Tail for less than a month, they already felt like family to me. Everyone was silent for a moment before Lucy ran over to me, pulling me into an intense bear hug. She let go of me and, for a second, I could've sworn I felt a presence behind me. I turned, only to be greeted by the guild hall's wooden doors.

"Are you alright, Shiori?" Lucy asked. I turned back to her and nodded, flashing her a bright smile. She smiled back and pulled me over to the bar, telling me about everything that happened while I was away.

 _That magic power from Crocus wasn't natural,_ I thought. _Whatever it was, I need to be more careful when I'm out and about._


End file.
